Hospitality and travel are fragile industries.
In uncertain times, adaptability and flexibility are valued skills that provide an edge over competitors – in all industries.
The pandemic has hit hospitality harder than the SARS epidemic, September 11th and the 2008 financial crisis. According to the World Tourism Organization, the cost of the global economy from the aftermath of the pandemic will be approximately $ 4 trillion. 💰
That is why we hear more and more about the concept of agility – agile business, agile marketing.
Agility means readiness to grow, optimize costs and refresh existing business processes.
Agility Features
Agility is the ability to adapt, be flexible, and be creative. Agile organizations respond quickly to opportunities or threats, either internal (e.g. failed business) or external (e.g. changes in trends or competitive markets).
Some of the features of the agile business are:
Customer focus: The agile company always strives for flexibility to maximize the requirements and expectations of guests.
Strong team dynamics: Well-coordinated teams respond adequately to crises and change, with precise tasks and responsibilities.
Growth mindset: Failure is an integral part of the learning process and is not an obstacle.
When the World Health Organization declared a pandemic, everyone took drastic measures to protect employees in a short period. Given the timeframe that is otherwise necessary for decisions to be implemented, this is a turnaround. With (hopefully 🤞) the end of the pandemic, the emphasis on agility does not disappear but becomes the essential characteristic of successful business in the future.
Find out below how to organize your business more agile and be more confident in the future.
1. Quick response to new guest expectations
Faced with uncertainty, guests often turn to brands to restore a sense of normalcy, to restore faith in security. As many as 77% of respondents said that brands should actively communicate how they face the new everyday challenges.
Hoteliers and vacation rentals face unique challenges, but responding quickly to new changes and guest requests is crucial.
To do it well, you need to understand your guests. Using surveys, review reviews, actively seeking feedback, analysis, and analytics will reveal their motivation and expectations. The action plan will form almost on its own.
Insight into the needs and expectations of your customers will significantly improve the quality of your marketing, save you frequent mistakes and, ultimately, justify any costs.
2. Personal and personalized approach
Hoteliers and vacation rentals who work on agility provide unique individualized experiences enriched by innovations like smart rooms or automated repetitive actions like check-in or payments.
Travel redesign means taking advantage of digital solutions to make the travel experience run smoothly and contactless. Guests today are independent and tech-savvy, focused on mobile experiences and the ability to control preferences during travel and stay alike.
They want to use apps and mobile devices to take a much more active role in exploring and controlling all elements of their experience, from accommodation to food and entertainment.
3. A more creative marketing approach
Given that marketing campaigns and strategies require constant assessment due to dynamic circumstances, creativity is essential.
It’s no longer just about content; context is equally important.
Photos showing crowds of guests and close contacts used to inspire trust and were the norm, but today, the publication of such images is almost inappropriate.
It will help if you invest in online and mobile experiences. For example, your website should not take too long to load, and the booking process should be optimized. You don’t want your potential guest to give up after you’ve managed to bring them to the website.
Google has released handy video content on the subject, where you can learn more about digitalizing your business to adapt well to times of uncertainty.
A bright future for the flexible
Business agility plays a crucial role in recovery.
The current crisis is a reminder of the significant changes that can always occur unannounced, some more and some less challenging. Agility will better prepare you for any challenge with minimal impact on your business – which, as we witness, is extremely important in hospitality.
For those who want to know more 👇
Be active: It all starts with your attitude. Find the ideal balance between service quality and the digital solution’s usage. Be prepared to customize the service and explore territory that was previously unknown to you.
Be competitive: Observe what your competitors are doing. Take care of your online reputation because your guests will appreciate it in the long run.
Be resilient: Leverage pandemic knowledge to better understand the pros and cons of your business, offerings, and services and improve them as you progress.
Agility today means preparing for the consequences of the current crisis and any in the future. 💪
